Apparatus for producing electric contacts at adjustable periodic intervals.



L. A. GRANOUX.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUUING ELECTRIC CONTACTS AT ADJUSTABLE PERIODIC INTERVALS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 1, 1912.

1,083,486. Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

Q BHEETS-SEEET 1.

L. A. GRANUUX. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRIC CONTACTS AT ADJUSTABLE PERIODIC INTERVALS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1912.

1,083,486. Patented Jan. 8. 1914.

2 BHEETSSHEBT 2.

JZm/anis fie Corufact /c9 to the application of the apparatus.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

toms an'romn emoux'or mansmnrn, ramcii.

APPARATUS 1'03 PRODUCING ELECTRIC CONTACTS AT ADJUSTABLE PERIODIC v INTEBVALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

Application filed Kay 1, 1912. Serial No. 694,885.

To all :whom it may concern Be it known that I, LOUIS An'romn GRA- NOUX, citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Marseille, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Apparatus for Producing Electric Contacts at Adjustable Periodi Intervals, of which the following is a specification.

This i nvention relates to an apparatus intended to produce at periodical intervals, the length of which is adjustable at will, one or more electric contacts so as to effect, ac cording to the application of the apparatus, the operation of a suitable more powerful electric device which, in its ,turn, can start or stop'any mechanism which must be operated at regular intervals, such as light eclipsing apparatus, a grate furnace with oscillating bars, etc.

The apparatus comprises in principle, an indicator adjustable at will on a sector provided'with measurement divisions for time, on which a member travels at a constant speed, the amplitude of movement of which is regulated by the osition of the said indicator; This mova le part preferably returns to its starting point instantaneously but it can also return to it at the same speed as that of its forward movement, or with a smaller or greater speed.

In order to make the invention clear, this specification is accompanied by a drawing, merely by way of example, in which- Figure 1 shows the apparatus in front elevation, while Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection on line A-B of Fig. 1.

In the said drawing, a pin or spindle 1 is driven by a clockwork and rotates at a con. stant speed adjusted once for all accord li ililg e clockwork which is not shown, is arranged on the rear face of the plate 2 which forms .the frame of the apparatus, and the upper disk t. A second disk 5 can slide on the spindle, but is connected to the disk 4 by two small tenons 6 which force it'to participate in the movement of rotation imparted to the disk 4 by. the spindle 1. Between the said two disks 4 and 5, one of which is provided onone of its faces with a conical extension, is inserted an aluminium ring 7, one face of which is suitably shaped. in its central portion to enable it to engage with the cone of the disk 4.- A helical spring 8 compressed between the movable disk 5 and a washer 9 secured to the spindle 1, has the tendency to keep the ring 7 gconstantly com ressed between the two disks 4 and .5 in or er to force it to take part in theirniovementof rotation. The ring 7 is provided with a fin er 10 to which is secured a rod 11 of suita le rectangular cross-section also of aluminium, electrically insulated from the finger 10 and the ring 7 by'a plate 12 of ivory or other suitable material.

The ring 7 is constantly exposed in the direction opposite to that of the .rotation of the spindle 1, to the action of a spiral spring 13, the ends of. which are connected, on the one hand, to the finger 10, and on the other hand, to the projection 14 provided on the back of the bracket 3. The tension of the said spring 13 is sutficient to drive the very light ring 7 as soon as the latter ceases to be compressed bet-ween the disks 4 and 5, but its action is .too weak to interfere with that of the clockwork.

The rod 11 participating in the movement of the spindle 1, at a given moment meets an electrical terminal 15' provided with a micro-metric screw 16 with a platinum tip. This terminal 15, is secured to a radial indicator or hand 17 which can be movedby hand about the spindle 1 on the. frame 2. Theemuter end of the hand 17 is preferably perforated and provided with an index 17 the position of which on the limb of the frame 2 determines the length of time at which the electric contact or contacts of the apparatus must be closed. The duration of the interval in Fig. 1 is two minutes eight seconds, the reading being made in the opening from the right-hand inner margin of the index '17. A terminal 18 secured to the frame 2 and electrically insulated is also provided with a micro metric screw 19 with a platinum tip. This screw 19 forms a stop for the rod 11 when the latter, on

being disengaged from the disks 4 and 5 is exposed only to the action of the spiral spring 13 acting in opposition to that of, the spindle 1. Thesaid screw 19 is arranged so that, on cont-act with it, the rod 11- should be in position on the O of the limb.

The graduation of the limb corresponds to the advance of-the rod 11 at the speed imparted by the spindle 1 driven by the clockwork. An electric terminal 20 secured to the frame 2 from which it is insulated, carries a flexible blade 20, or any other contact part sufiiciently flexible not to oppose the angular movement of the rod 11 under the action of the sprin 13.

The object of t e apparatus is tosend at regular time intervals regulated by the position of the index 17 on the limb of the frame 2 an electric current into the terminal 20 connected to the conductor used for supplying any electric apparatus which must be controlled direct or by means of relays; The rod 11 is electrically connected by flexible wire or in some other way, to one of the poles of the current, the other pole of which passes through the electromagnet 21 and terminates at the terminal 15 of the hand 17. The pole'controlling the electro-magnet 21, passes through the electro-magnet 22 and terminates at the terminal 18. The terminal 20 completely insulated, is electrically connected to one of the poles of the apparatus to be controlled, the other pole of which is connected to the conductor used for distributing current to the electro-magnets 21 and 22. When the rod 11 of the ring 7 driven by the disks 4 and 5 comes into contact with the terminal 15 the current passes into the electro magnet 21 which attracts a soft iron armature 23 guided by means of the two rods 24 and 25 sliding in two sockets or sleeves 26 and 27. To the armature 23 is secured a right angle part 28 terminating in a disengaging fork and intended to act on the circular collar 29 of the disk 5. The attraction of the electro-Inagnet 21 moves therefore the disk 5 away from the ring 7, the spring 8 being compressed. The ring 7 being released from the compression between the two disks 4 and 5 will immediately be controlled by the spiral spring 13,

The contact between the rod 11 and the terminal 15 ceases at once, but the armature 23 in its movement toward the soft iron core of the electro-magnet 21, has engaged with the pawl 30 which prevents it, after the breaking of the said circuit in the electro-magnet 21, from returning to its origi nal position. Owing to that, the ring 7 continues to be controlled by the spring 13 and makes contact by friction with the blade 20" of the terminal 20 and meets the stop l9 of the terminal 18. This contact closes the circuit of the electro-magnet 22 which attracts the armature 31 secured to the pawl 30 and disengages the armature 23 which obeying the action of the springs 32 drives the fork 21 and releases the dlsk 5 which again presses the ring 7 against the disk 4 and brings about its driving toward the terminal 15, on contact with which the operation recommences. During the contact of the rod 11 with the blade 20 the current passes into the apparatus to be operated. The movement away of the armature 23 is limited by an annular stop 34 secured to each of the rods 24 and 25 by a screw, the position of which stop can be adjusted by inserting washers.

As the disengagement produced when the rod 11 comes into contact with the terminal 15 sends a current into the line controlling the apparatus to be operated through the terminal 20, it is clear that the moment of this disengagementdepends on the terminal 15, and consequently on the angular position of the hand 17 on the dial or frame 2, and that the time elapsing between each emission of current, varies in accordance with that position.

The parts, the working of which has been described, are set forth merely by way of example, the essential principle of the invention consisting in the application of a member describing, within a given time.

which can be varied at the will of the operator, a variable angle at a suitable speed regulated once for all between two stops, the angular distance between which corres onds according to the indications of the ivisions of a dial or sector, to the determined length of time.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. Apparatus for making electric contacts at adjustable periodic intervals, comprising in combination, a spindle rotating at a constant given speed, and adapted to pass through the frame of the apparatus, a. contact lever rotating around said shaft, a flexible blade upon a terminal secured to the frame of the apparatus, electrical appara'-. tus connected to said terminal, clutch means for swinging said contact lever with a predetermined speed across said contact blades, two contacts limiting the oscillation of said contact lever, means connected to said limiting contacts causing a change in the direction of movement of said lever, and means for determining the length of the oscillating time period.

2. Apparatus for making electric contacts at adjustable periodic intervals, comprising in combination, a spindle rotating at a constant given speed, and adapted to pass through the frame of the apparatus, a contact lever rotating around said shaft, a flexible blade upon a terminal secured tothe and an index arm for determining the 10 frame of the apparatus, electrical apparalength of the'oscillatin time period.

tus connected to said terminal, clutch means In testimon whereo I afiix my signature for guiding said contact lever with a prein presence 0 two witnesses.

5 determined speed across said contact blades, LOUIS ANTOINE GRANOUX.

two contacts limiting the oscillation of said contact lever, electro-magnets connected to Witnesses;

said limiting contacts for causing a change A. GRANOUX, in the direction of movement of said lever, H. BARRAGUE. 

